Winning and Competition, What Those Words Mean

I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be competitive. I used to believe competition was about winning—about beating someone else. But as I’ve grown, my understanding of it has changed.

When my kids swam competitively—especially my eldest daughter, who swam through high school—I began to see competition differently. Swimming is unique in many ways, and watching her races reshaped my idea of what it means to win. She could improve, shave time off her laps, and still not come in first. That realization made me rethink how we define success.

There will always be a Katie Ledecky or a Michael Phelps—someone faster, stronger, or more experienced. The size of the pool, the level of competition, and the moment in time all play a role. But we can’t control what others do; we can only focus on ourselves. I came to understand that if my daughter was improving—if she was getting stronger, pushing herself, and growing—then she was winning, no matter what the scoreboard said.

The same was true when I watched my youngest play soccer. Some of her best games ended in losses. But was she playing her heart out? Was she learning and growing? If so, wasn’t that victory?

I’ve taken this lesson to heart in my own life. Starting a company later in life, I sometimes feel the pressure to catch up to younger entrepreneurs—the twenty- and thirty-somethings who seem miles ahead. But the truth is, I’m not competing with them. My only goal is to be better than I was yesterday—to build the best company I can, to learn constantly, to pick myself up after failures, and to design the most inspired, beautiful pieces for you.

And when I sit with my friends and family, I don’t compare myself to them, nor do I measure their success against mine. Instead, I look at how far they’ve come. I’ve realized life is so much better when lived with grace and gratitude rather than judgment or comparison. I am endlessly proud of the people I love for simply showing up, for growing, for being themselves. And when I share my own achievements, I do so knowing that those who care about me understand—I’m not trying to be better than anyone else. I’m just trying to be my best.

Of course, this mindset isn’t always easy. Life is complex, and doubt creeps in. But when I pause and reflect on how far I’ve come in the past four years, I’m astounded. If I could go back and tell myself five years ago where I’d be now, I know she’d be amazed. That perspective makes all the difference.

I am so grateful to be doing what I love, to be creating from the heart, and to be sharing this journey with you. Thank you for being part of it.

xx
Christina

P.S. Jamie Lee Curtis wrote a book “is there Really a Human Race”, I used to read to my kids, it’s worth a read.